About 6 months ago I decided that I needed to enhance all of my digital stuff at once. The only way I knew how to do that is with the Slingbox. This device allowed me to take all of my media with me wherever I can get an internet connection. I mostly keep mine attached to my cable DVR box and I get to watch all my shows when I want and where I want.

The Slingbox works by attaching your a/v gadgets to your home Ethernet connection. It then streams your media over that connection to any device with a broadband connection and the Slingbox receiving software installed. The receiving device can be a computer, a phone with either Windows Mobile or Palm OS, and now there is even coverage for smartphones like the Motorola Q and Samsung Blackjack. I have the HTC 8925 and use that with my Slingbox so all comments regarding phone use are in reference to that particular model.

As we all know, the hardest part about these new gadgets can be getting them set up. Slingbox is a breeze in this department and once it is set up, you can actually tuck it away somewhere and forget about it. The box is fairly small at approximately 8x5x1inches and is mostly black - should you choose to leave it visible, it is both unobtrusive and unassuming in appearance. If you don't want to have to stare at it, it can easily be tucked behind any other device or inside some small leftover space in you're a/v cabinet.

The back of the box contains the units single input - RCA audio, composite video, and S-video. You may connect whatever device you like to these inputs and you will have completed the Slingbox-to-A/V part of the setup. There is an IR output in the box so that you can remotely control whatever device it is that you are attaching to the Slingbox.

The only problem with the Slingbox setup is that the unit does not offer pass through. This means that any signal going to the box cannot continue through it to your in-home media receiver. The device to be broadcast must have an extra output that may be dedicated to the Slingbox. Since most devices today have multiple outputs this won't be a problem for most users and was not, in fact, a problem in my case.

The other physical setup part is attaching the Slingbox to your home network. This must be done via an Ethernet cable into the unit. Of course, not everyone has an Ethernet jack near their TV so something else must be arranged. In my case, I chose to place my wireless router closer to my Slingbox. That way I could still have a wireless connection for my home needs as well as using the wired part of the router to attach my Slingbox to the internet. I have also heard of people using devices that turn their power lines into Ethernet connections or using wireless bridges to connect to their wireless routers located elsewhere in the house but I have never tried them myself. While a wireless connection from within the Slingbox would be nice, there are plenty of alternatives to attach this device to a network and it should not be a major impediment to its setup.

The final part of the setup process is installing the software required to receive the Slingbox signal in whatever devices you wish to receive that signal. The software was very easy to setup on both my laptop and on my phone. The installation for both is very step-by-step and requires no computer knowledge on the part of the user. Once installed the player opens in a window with a visual of both the media content and an on screen control. The on screen control is a simulated version of the remote used to operate whatever device you are playing the media with. The onscreen control allows for manipulation of that media device and is simple to use as it is the same controller you are already used to.

The viewing of media is amazing with this device. As with many streaming services, the software automatically adjusts the amount of data being streamed, and consequently the picture quality, to match your available bandwidth. Both one my laptop and my phone, the picture is almost as clear as the original. The picture quality actually appears better on my phone because of the small screen. When outside of the home network the picture quality is slightly reduced because of slow upload speeds that are generally in the 300-500kbps range.

Be aware that when using this device on your phone, you must have an unlimited data plan. A friend of mine who purchased a Slingbox at the same time I did forgot about how much data watching TV on his phone would use and was a few days into his month before he realized. The damage wasn't too bad, but using this device without a plan could really lead to a NASA sized phone bill if you aren't careful.

New electronics are developed every day and the rapidity of that development is probably what makes so many people so excited by those electronics. The problem is that every new device that makes its way to the market devalues the devices you already have. They are less useful every day and become obsolete faster than most people care to spend money to replace them with newer technology. Slingbox is one of the few devices that can do the opposite. It makes whatever you choose to connect to it instantly more advanced. Not only is this one of the most useful devices I have ever owned, it also one of the most value-adding devices I have ever had the good sense to purchase.